Description

With the SH-WM83 Shoes, Shimano's ever-expanding line of
women's-specific mountain footwear has a new queen. The springy soles
also offer the option to mount toe spikes, so when the changing seasons
render your favorite singletrack loop impassible, they transition easily
to the sloppy run-ups of the cyclocross season.

The WR83s' outsoles are polyamide reinforced with glass fiber and
armored with debris-clearing polyurethane lugs. These soles are mated to
synthetic leather uppers that resist stretching and incorporate cooling
mesh panels. Given its specialization as a women's mountain shoe, the
WR83 also enjoys some additional protection on the toe and is cut with a
more slender fit, meant to accommodate a woman's foot. Shimano's
Dynalast technology, which is the same last design used throughout the
Japanese manufacturer's line, is similarly adapted.

Dynalast involves lowering the toe-spring and heel section in
relation to the arch and metatarsal areas. This creates an optimal
pedaling angle on either side of the up-swing, so the dead time spot is
shortened, increasing your pedal efficiency by a claimed .56% on each
stroke. While that doesn't seem like much at first blush, any cyclist
who's ridden for longer than two hours understands that marginal gains
like this can be the difference between starting the downhill first or
being stuck in a slow-rolling line on impassable singletrack.

A combination of one ratcheting buckle and two hook-and-loop straps
lets you vary the fit across the length of your foot, giving you more
security at the top and more room for metatarsal expansion at the
forefoot. The insole contributes to the fit by comfortably keeping your
heel stable. You don't have to ratchet the straps down to the point of
losing feeling in order to keep your heel from slipping during sprints
or uphill attacks.